Vine was only around for four short years, but in that time it made a tremendous impact on popular culture. Despite the fact that it was discontinued by Twitter back in early 2017, many “Vine stars” are still at the forefront of minds and newsfeeds across the world. This is partly thanks to the rise of competing short-form video hosting services — like TikTok — and partly thanks to the ingenious creativity of many of the defunct platform’s most prominent creators. One such creator who has grown into a full-fledged internet personality and recording artist is Christian Leave, who dropped his new single “Adult” on July 24.
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A unique and infectious song, “Adult” blends a modern indie feel with a classic R&B sound. This on its own is wildly entertaining, but when you add in Leave’s impeccable vocal performance, the whole thing culminates into a fun and breezy three minutes and twelve seconds. Yet, the song is not without depth, as Leave told American Songwriter.
“I was at a point in my life where I felt like I was really coming into my own skin and becoming the person I really wanted to be,” he said. “I was experiencing a new level of maturity in myself that I hadn’t seen before, while simultaneously feeling incredibly young and inexperienced. I recorded ‘Adult’ in a studio underneath a coffee shop with two amazing producers. It was my first time extensively working with anyone on a project and as the days went by things got easier and more and more comfortable. We all began to speak the same language. It was a really cool experience to share with someone and I am ready to do it all over again.”
While primarily known for his quick, quirky humor, Leave has demonstrated time and time again that he is an adept songwriter. “I write at my best whenever a situation has come full-circle,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to analyze a moment in time when you get a full and final resolution. Makes the process a little slower but allows you to really reflect on what you want to say and why you want to say it.”
That sentiment is a big part of Leave’s art — he is very conscious of what he’s saying and what the effect of it might be. Even for “Adult,” Leave said that he hoped that listeners could walk away knowing that “your life is in your hands and your experiences and feelings should not be devalued by anyone around you. Remember that you are important and what you think is just as important as the people you admire.”
Listen to “Adult” by Christian Leave below:
